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Suppression  of  Tuberculosis  in  Cattle 

AND 

Dr.  von  Behring's  Immunization  Methods. 

Lecture  Delivered  at  the  General  Meeting  of  the  Veterinarians' 

Association  of  the  County   of  Starkenhurg,  Germany, 

October  ji,  190^. 

BY 

Dr.   Lorenz,  Obermedizinalrat. 


There  is  hardly  a  disease  regarding  which  the  opinions  of 
eminent  veterinarians  and  physicians  have  changed  so  often  and 
within  such  short  intervals,  as  to  the  causes  and  methods  of  sup- 
pressing tuberculosis  in  man  and  cattle. 

Bovine  tuberculosis,  also  called  "Perlsucht,"  was  until  1782 
=;upposed  to  be  syphihs  and  known  as  "French  Disease"  Frai 
z.osen  Krankheit).  In  the  same  year,  County  Physician  Heym 
in  Spandau  refuted  the  syphilitic  nature  of  tuberculosis.  This 
was  the  cause  that  the  previous  interdictions,  to  use  the  meat  of 
the  diseased  animals  for  food,  were  annulled. 

Up  to  the  seventies  of  the  last  century,  "Perlsucht"  was  looked 
•upon  as  a  specific  disease  of  cattle  only,  which  had  nothing  to  do 
with  man.  Many  thought  that  the  little  nodules  of  this  disease 
represented  sarcomata.  The  general  opinion  concerning  tlie 
etiology  was,  that  "Perlsucht"  was  a  hereditary  disease  of  cattle. 
This  opinion  was  prevalent  also  regarding  consumption  (phthisis) 
of  man,  and  expressed  by  Gerlach  in  his  book  on  "Meat-Diet  of 
Man."  The  food-laws  of  those  times  show  clearly  that  meat 
of  tuberculous  cattle  was  not  considered  injurious  to  man,  when 
the  consuming  of  highly  tuberculous  meat  was  forbidden  simply 
as  "loathsome  food." 

Gerlach,  in  his  above-mentioned  book,  favored  the  destruction 
of  all  tubercular  cattle,  not  because  of  the  danger  to  man,  neither 


N2 


to  render  the  sick  animals  innocuous  to  other  cattle,  but  to  prevent 
infection  of  the  offsprings.  He,  therefore,  demanded  the  exclu- 
sion of  all  infected  animals  from  breeding.  Gerlach  defended 
his  theory  and  wanted  it  to  become  a  law,  in  order  to  exterminate 
the  disease,  so  that  dairymen  and  farmers  would  not  be  per- 
mitted to  bring  infected  cattle  to  the  slaughtering  houses.  But 
notwithstanding  the  great  influence  enjoyed  by  Gerlach,  his  efforts 
were  not  successful  and  therefore  the  "Perlsucht"  spread  very 
rapidly. 

In  1882  the  tubercle  bacillus  was  discovered  by  Prof.  Koch, 
and  shortly  after  it  was  demonstrated  that  'Terlsucht"  and  tuber- 
culosis had  the  same  generator;  15  years  later.  Prof.  Koch  was 
doubtful  as  to  the  identity  of  the  bacillus  of  human  and  cattle 
tuberculosis,  and  this  at  a  time  when  preparations  were  being 
made  to  introduce  a  law  for  the  inspection  of  meat  of  all 
slaughtered  cattle. 

'Prof,  von  Behring,  in  his  last  lecture  at  Cassel  refuted  this 
doubt  most  emphatically,  and  I  believe  the  majority  of  veteri- 
narians and  physicians  agree  with  him. 

Koch's  doubt  regarding  the  identity  of  human  and  bovine 
tuberculosis  was  caused  by  the  difficulty  of  transmitting  human 
tuberculosis  into  the  bovine  species.  I  must  admit,  that  I  con- 
sider it  a  lack  in  research  work,  that  it  took  15  years  to  decide, 
this  above-stated  difficulty.  It  is  well  known  that  certain  germs 
after  having  passed  through  a  certain  species  of  animal  will  lose 
their  virulence  for  some  species,  while  for  others  again  it  will 
prove  to  be  still  more  violent. 

It  has  not  as  yet  been  demonstrated,  whether  tubercle  bacilli, 
taken  from  man  and  showing  only  slight  virulence  in  the  bovine 
species,  will  not  gain  in  strength  after  having  passed  through  a 
larger  number  of  cattle. 

It  would  be  going  too  far,  to  mention  all  the  different  methods, 
that  have  been  tried  and  proposed,  in  order  to  check  the  spreading 
of   bovine  tuberculosis.      None   of  them  has  proved   successful. 


but  there  were  a  few  which  promised  good  success.  One  of  the 
most  prominent  methods  was  based  principally  upon  the  use  of 
tuberculin  which  was  first  discovered  by  Koch  in  1890. 

The  results  reported  in  Congress  and  medical  societies  led  to  a 
circular  note  regarding  the  immense  number  of  tuberculous  cattle 
and  the  way  to  suppress  tuberculosis.  In  this  circular  letter  the 
following  points  were  taken  into  consideration : 

1.  The  reporting  to  the   Board  of  Health  of  all   cases  of 

slaughtered  cattle  which  had  been  found  tuberculous. 

2.  To  empower  the  Board  of  Health  to  condemn  and  destroy 

the  meat  of  infected  animals. 

3.  The    reporting    of    infected    animals    by    the    officials    of 

slaughter  houses  to  the  authorities  of  the  respective 
raising  and  breeding  places.  These  authorities  to  take 
preventative  measures,  to  examine  the  animals  alive, 
to  destroy  the  reacting,  to  isolate  the  non-reacting  ones, 
and  to  order  stable  disinfection,  etc.,  etc. 

4.  The  allowance  by  the  Government  of  an  indemnification 

for  each  condemned  animal. 

The  application  of  Prof.  Koch's  tuberculin  as  a  therapeutic 
and  its  use  as  a  diagnostic  are  fully  known.  The  results  obtained . 
from  the  testing  of  cattle  were  very  depressive  for  dairymen  and 
cattle  breeders.  They  proved  that  the  majority  of  cattle  and  even 
whole  herds  were  affected.  It  was  impossible  to  destroy  all  in- 
fected animals  on  account  of  the  pecuniary  sacrifices,  not  to  speak 
of  the  agricultural  disadvantages  which  would  follow.  For  these 
reasons  it  was  not  thought  advisable  in  Germany  to  adopt  the 
means  of  suppressing  tuberculosis  with  tuberculin. 

In  Denmark  they  succeeded  in  introducing  the  so-called 
Tuberculin-Law  in  1893,  due  to  the  energetic  endeavors  of  Prof. 
Bang. 

The  Danish  Government  subscribed  yearly  50,000  kronen,  in 
order  to  make  the  tuberculin-test  free  of  charge  to  those  owners 
of  cattle  who  guaranteed  to  isolate  the  healthy  from  the  reacting 

3 


:i'7^^f 


animals  and  to  gradually  dispose  of  the  infected  cattle.  There 
was  not  the  least  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  cattle  breeders  and 
dairymen  to  this  mode  of  proceeding.  We  know  that  Denmark 
has  a  considerable  over-production  of  cattle,  and  therefore  a  large 
export.  The  country  could,  therefore,  only  gain,  but  not  lose  by 
following  this  method,  even  if  it  was  very  expensive  at  the  start. 

Bang's  method  was  also  tried  in  several  states  in  Wurtemberg, 
but  without  success,  notwithstanding  the  fact,  that  every  pre- 
caution was  taken.  All  non-reacting  animals  were  isolated,  but — 
after  a  certain  length  of  time — reacted  when  again  tested  with 
tuberculin. 

February  ist,  1894,  a  motion  was  made  in  the  "Landtag" 
(Prussian  Parliament)  by  von  Tiedemann,  to  introduce  a  law  for 
the  suppression  of  tuberculosis,  the  disease  doing  most  damage 
to  agriculture.    He  proposed  : 

"To  make  it  a  law  to  report  all  cases  of  infected  cattle  and  the 
indemnification  for  the  destroyed  animals." 

He  stated  that  tuberculosis  in  his  herds  had  spread  rapidly. 
After  the  first  tuberculin  test  17%  of  his  cattle  were  condemned, 
doubtlessly  a  high  percentage  and  a  great  loss.  But,  he  claimed, 
in  the  last  year  only  1%  had  to  be  destroyed.  The  decrease  of 
the  disease  was  thus  proved,  but  as  stated  before,  this  method  is 
very  expensive  and  not  practicable  for  every  one. 

Koch's  tuberculin  failed  to  give  any  satisfaction,  when  using 
it  for  diagnostical ,  purposes.  Slightly  affected  animals  often 
reacted  very  readily,  and  highly  affected  ones  hardly  showed  any 
reaction. 

At  that  time  von  Hey  den,  secretary  of  agriculture,  rejected 
the  above-stated  proposition  on  account  of  the  difficulty  in  diag- 
nosing tuberculosis  in  live  stock. 

Later  on,  the  examination  of  the  herdbooks  of  different  estates 
in  Pommerania  and  West-Prussia,  by  Prof.  Ostertag,  led  to  the 
following  preliminary  proposals  by  the  department  of  health : 

4 


"xAnimals  afflicted  with,  so-called,  open  tuberculosis  (that  is  the 
advanced  stage  of  pulmonary  tuberculosis,  especially  tuber- 
culosis of  the  udder,  intestines,  and  genital  organs)  should  be 
ascertained  and  a  revision  of  stables  ordered.  Infected  or  doubt- 
ful animals  should  be  destroyed  and  the  owners  indemnified." 

That  there  is  a  great  deal  of  good  in  these  propositions  can 
not  be  denied.  For  instance  the  authorities  were  empowered  to 
destroy  all  animals  that  showed  evidence  of  tuberculosis,  especially 
tuberculosis  of  the  udder.  The  small  dairymen  were  of  course 
not  benefited  by  such  methods. 

Now,  all  other  methods,  to  suppress  tvtberculosis  of  cattle, 
have  been  surpassed  by  that  of  Prof,  von  Behring.  The  easiness 
of  application  and  its  comparative  cheapness  cannot  be  questioned, 
and  a  plan  must  be  formed,  which  will  enable  us  to  absolutely 
suppress  tuberculosis  in  our  cattle  herds  within  not  too  long  a 
time.  There  was  but  little  hope  to  suppress  tuberculosis.  The 
duration  of  the  disease,  as  well  as  the  length  of  time  before 
affected  animals  showed  any  symptoms  of  it,  made  it  almost 
impossible  to  separate  the  healthy  from  the  infected  cattle.  But 
it  seems,  that  Prof,  von  Behring  has  now  solved  the  problem. 
Already  in  December,  1901,  at  Stockholm,  Prof,  von  Behring 
refuted  Prof.  Koch's  doubts,  as  to  the  identity  of  tubercle  bacillus 
in  man  and  cattle,  with  the  assertion  that  he  succeeded  in 
immunizing  cattle  against  tuberculosis  with  tubercle  cultures 
from  human  beings.  His  first  publication  regarding  his  method 
appeared  in  No.  5  of  "Beitrage  Zur  Experimentellen  Therapie," 
May,  1892.  In  the  summer  of  that  year  he  held  a  course  at  his 
institute  at  Marburg,  in  which  a  number  of  veterinarians  par- 
ticipated, among  others  County  Veterinarian  Schmidt  of  Giessen, 
Hessia.  The  Hessian  Government  authorized  the  latter  to  test 
Prof,  von  Behring's  method  at  an  estate  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Griinberg.  Since  then,  the  young  cattle  are  immunized  on  this 
€state. 


In  order  to  prove  the  success  of  his  method  of  immunization, 
he  requested  Dr.  Eber  (Leipzig),  Dr.  Schlegel  (Freiburg,  i.  B.), 
and  myself  to  aid  him  in  these  experiments.  For  this  purpose 
Prof,  von  Behring  gave  each  of  the  above-named  gentlemen  two 
immunized  animals;  one  of  them  immunized  with  human  culture 
and  the  other  with  a  culture  of  cattle  tuberculosis.  The  experi- 
ments were  begun  in  April,  1902.  One  of  the  heifers  was  a  "Sim- 
menthaler,"  and  the  other  a  "Vogelsberger."  After  they  had  be- 
come somewhat  accustomed  to  the  stable,  we  procured  a  third 
animal  for  control.  The  tuberculin  test  was  made  on  this  at  once, 
and  showed  no  reaction  whatever.  Then  the  first  infection  was 
made,  consisting  of  0.15  tubercular  matter  from  a  freshly 
slaughtered  cow,  in  a  physiological  salt  solution.  This  tubercular 
matter  apparently  consisted  of  newly  formed  grayish-red  nodules 
with  a  little  caseous  matter.  Bacilli  were  plentiful.  The  three  ani- 
mals were  injected  at  the  same  time  and  with  the  same  quantity. 
The  first  few  days  nothing  exceptional  was  noted,  excepting  of 
course  a  little  swelling  at  the  point  of  injection.  There  was  no  rise 
in  temperature.  While  the  swelling  in  both  immunized  animals 
disappeared  gradually,  that  of  the  control  animal  began  to  grow 
after  the  tenth  day.  The  animal  began  to  lick  the  swelling, 
which  showed  that  it  was  either  itching,  or  painful.  From  time 
to  time  an  increase  in  temperature  was  noticed.  The  animal 
coughed  repeatedly.  The  lymphatics  on  the  inside  of  the  left 
foreleg  showed  a  slight  swelling.  Two  weeks  later  the  three 
animals  were  tested  with  tuberculin.    The  results  were : 

Simmenthaler  (von  Behring's  method),  no  reaction. 

Vogelsberger  (immunized  with  cattle  tuberculosis),  I04°F. 

Control  animal  (not  immunized),  io6  3-5°F. 

Here  I  wish  to  draw  your  attention  to  a  symptom  which  Prof, 
von  Behring  has  also  constantly  observed,  i.  e.,  animals  immunized 
with  a  culture  of  cattle  tuberculosis  always  show  a  sensitiveness 
towards  tuberculin,  while  this  is  not  the  case  with  aiiimals  treated 
according  to  von  Behring's  method.  •' 


After  three  weeks  the  control  heifer  was  killed.  Post-mortem 
examination  revealed  the  following : 

"Swelling  at  point  of  injection  of  about  the  thickness  of  a 
thumb  and  6  cm.  long.  The  prescapular  and  axillary  glands  also 
swollen.  In  all  these  affected  parts,  was  to  be  seen  deep  yellowish 
tubercle  matter  so  commonly  found  in  all  affected  organs ;  calci- 
fications were  also  present — a  condition  of  the  tttmost  import- 
ance in  order  to  prove  the  age  of  tubercular  processes  in  cattle. 
Tubercular  changes  were  also  noticed  in  the  lungs,  brdnchii  and 
mediastinal  glands.  The  presence  of  tubercular  bacilli  was 
demonstrated  by  the  aid  of  the  microscope.  Hereupon  a  second 
control  heifer  had  to  undergo  the  tuberculin  test — also  without 
reaction.  This  animal  was  treated  after  Prof,  von  Behring's 
method.  Course  and  symptoms,  as  well  as  the  tuberculin  test 
made  after  two  weeks,  gave  the  same  results,  as  the  first  experi- 
ment, only  somewhat  less  intensive  with  the  second  control  heifer 
than  with  the  first.  After  three  weeks  this  control  animal  was  also 
killed.  Postmortem :  Point  of  injection  and  prescapular  lym- 
phatics showed  tubercular  changes,  but  no  pulmonary  tuberculosis. 
In  this  case  the  deep  yellow  caseous  matter  was  not  present  in  the 
tubercular  growths ;  they  had  a  rather  light  grayish  appearance, 
but  no  calcifications.  The  cause  of  this  may  be  that  a  pure  culture 
of  cattle  tuberculosis  had  been  used,  while  for  the  first  test  a 
tubercle  material  was  injected  which  led  to  a  mixed  infection. 
These  control  experiments  will  be  finished  after  Dr.  von  Behring's 
immunized  cattle  have  been  killed  and  thoroughly  examined.  As 
for  the  external  examination  of  these  animals,  we  have  only 
positive  results. 

1.  Animals  did  not  react  after  injection. 

2.  They  have  always  had  a  good  appetite  and  at  no  time 

showed  symptoms  of  the  disease. 

3.  Their   weight   was   ascertained   every   two   weeks,   which 

showed    a    steady    increase,    in    accordance    with    the 
quantity  of  food  they  had  been  given. 


In  August  I  sent  the  control  cattle  back  to  Prof,  von  Behring, 
as  one  of  the  animals  (Vogelsberger)  was  pregnant  and  Prof, 
von  Behring  intended  to  examine  her  milk. 

From  Prof,  von  Behring  s  publication  in  "Beitrdge  Zur 
Experimentellen  Therapie,"  as  well  as  from  his  lecture  at  Kassel, 
and  especially  from  repeated  private  remarks,  furthermore  hy 
studying  the  data  of  his  experiments,  I  learned  that  his  tests  dated 
hack  quite  a  number  of  years  and  that  positive  results  had  always 
been  obtained.  Similar  results  were  also  shown  by  a  number  of 
experiments  in  practice. 

1.  100   heads    of   heifers    were   vaccinated    at    an    estate    in 

Mecklenburg  Strelitz  (Goren). 

2.  lOO  heads  of  cattle  at  the  estate  Sarvar  (Hungary),  be- 

longing to  Prince  Ludwig  of  Bavaria. 

3.  At  the  estate  Wolfshagen  (Mecklenburg  Strelitz)  60,  and 

at  a  nearby  estate  30  heads  of  cattle. 

The  cattle  of  these  estates,  with  the  exception  of  the  last 
mentioned,  were  highly  tubercular.  But  every  one  of  the  vac- 
cinated animals  that  has  been  slaughtered  so  far,  upon  examina- 
tion proved  to  be  perfectly  free  from  tuberculosis. 

On  accoimt  of  these  results,  I  am  perfectly  convinced  that  zve 
have  here  a  method  which  will  lead  to  success  and  will  he  of 
immense  value  in  suppressing  cattle  tuberculosis;  and  that  as  to 
cheapness  and  easiness  of  application  it  surpasses  and  supersedes 
all  other  methods  so  far  known. 

Dr.  von  Behring  lately  advises  to  vaccinate  only  young  cattle 
at  the  age  of  from  three  weeks  to  four  months,  while  so  far  also 
animals  up  to  two  years  and  older  have  undergone  the  treatment. 
According  to  recent  information,  however,  I  find  that  animals 
older  than  four  months  are  not  entirely  excluded.  However,  in 
older  animals  positive  results  cannot  be  guaranteed. 

Tubercular  animals  will  show  after  vaccination  the  same 
reaction  as  if  treated  with  tuberculin,  but  more  intensive.  The 
treatment  is  by  no  means  dangerous,  but  results  are  doubtful. 


Old  animals  should  not  be  vaccinated  in  herds  where  tuber- 
culosis is  prevalent.  But  if  circumstances  should  make  this 
desirable,  they  should,  prior  to  the  vaccination,  be  carefully  tested 
with  tuberculin  and  only  such  animals  should  be  vaccinated  which 
show  no  reaction. 

Calves  from  three  weeks  to  four  months  may  he  vaccinated 
without  previous  tuberculin  test,  even  if  they  belong  to  a-  tubercu- 
lar herd. 

Our  first  duty  now  is  to  convince  the  public,  and  especially  the 
representatives  of  agriculture,  of  the  immense  value  of  this 
method.  This  cannot  be  attained  quickly,  as  circumstances  are 
unfavorable.  It  is  very  difficult  to  keep  track  of  a  great  many  of 
the  vaccinated  animals.  Of  course,  some  of  them  will  be  used 
for  breeding  purposes,  others  will  be  sold  and  lost  sight  of. 
It  will,  therefore,  be  possible  only  in  a  very  few  cases  to  follow 
up  our  vaccinations,  and  it  will  take  years  before  we  have  been 
able  to  examine  a  certain  number  of  immunized  animals  at  the 
slaughtering  houses.  The  only  way  to  reach  our  purpose  would 
be  to  try  to  have  breeders  of  cattle  come  to  an  understanding  with 
dairymen  to  gradually  substitute  their  milk  cows  by  immunized 
stock.  If  we  succeed  in  this;  we  shall,  in  a  few  years,  be  able  to 
keep  records  which  will  afford  an  accurate  estimation  as  to  the 
value  of  the  method.  Each  animal  would  be  registered  as  to 
breed,  date  of  birth,  date  of  first  and  second  vaccination,  amount 
of  milk,  and  lastly,  the  post-mortem  examination  after  slaughter- 
ing the  animal.  If  we  begin  now,  it  will  take  three  years  to  get 
such  a  stock.  Then  it  will  again  take  two  years  until  a  certain 
amount  of  immunized  cattle  can  be  killed  and  examined.  So 
that  it  will  take  about  five  years  until  we  can  be  sure  of  success 
and  then  only  is  there  a  prospect  of  having  this  method  enforced 
by  law. 

To  get  a  stock  of  immune  cattle  within  a  shorter  time,  it 
would  be  advisable,  especially  for  dairies,  to  vaccinate  animals 
up  to  two  years  of  age.    As  stated  before,  this  can  be  done  with 

9 


precaution,  and  an  accurate  selection  of  animals  which  have 
shown  no  reaction  after  a  severe  tuberculin  test.  But  as  this 
would  be  rather  expensive  (because  of  the  destruction  of  all 
infected  animals),  only  large  dairies  could  afford  to  adopt  this 
method. 

I  would  propose  to  vaccinate  four  times  a  year.  This  would 
make  all -other  precautions,  as  disinfection  of  stables  and  isolation 
of  infected  animals  unnecessary,  for  immunised  cattle  may  he  left 
among  infected  animals  without  hesitation;  indeed,  as  von  Behring 
claims,  their  natural  immunity  is  even  strengthened  through  the 
contact  with  infected  animals. 

The  profit  derived  from  vaccination  would  surely  outweigh 
the  expenses.  The  cattlemen  would  not  be  compelled  to  destroy 
any  more  animals.  Immune  cattle  thrive  better  even  on  less  food 
than  infected  ones.  The  production  of  milk  and  meat  would 
increase.  Insurance  of  said  animals  would  be  but  a  minimal 
expense.  Our  farmers  would  he  freed  from  a  hurden  that  has 
hitherto  rested  heavily  upon  them.  Man  also  would  be  released 
from  a  danger,  whose  greatness  we  are  hardly  able  to  realize. 
Prof.  Koch  stated  at  the  time :  "The  consumption  of  tuhercnlar 
milk  and  meat  is  a  danger  to  human  heings,  which,  he  it  great 
or  small,  should  he  removed."  You  are  aware  of  the  fact  that 
Koch  has  changed  his  views.  You  also  know  that  the  meat  in- 
spection law  is  based  upon  his  latest  opinion.  But  you  do  not 
know  whether  this  basis  will  not  break  down  some  day,  and 
humanity  demand  the  removal  of  the  existing  danger.  I  cite  here 
the  remark  of  von  Behring,  made  at  Kassel :  "The  main  source 
of  the  development  of  tuberculosis  is  the  milk  consumed  by 
infants."  This  opinion  will  be  refuted  by  many,  since  it  appears 
to  be  in  contradiction  to  the  tuberculosis  statistics  in  the  different 
ages  .of  man,  also  quoted  by  von  Behring.  We  find  here  that 
during  the  first  year  of  life,  tuberculosis  is  very  scarce,  then 
gradually  increases  and  often  exists  until  senile  age  is  reached. 
If,  then,  von  Behring's  assertion  is  correct,  the  disease  must  be 
latent  for  years  in  the  human  body,  at  least  to  the  perception  of 

10 


the   diagnostic.     But  is  not  this  possible?     Prof,   von   Behring 
proved  that  the  mucous  membranes  of  the  intestines,  the  cells  of 
which  are  not  quite  united  in  infancy,  afford  the  bacilli  entrance 
into  the  system.     Dr.  von  Behring  has  so  far  not  expressed  an 
opinion  as  to  how  these  bacilli  keep  themselves  dormant  in  the 
system.     At  this  occasion,  however,  I  would  like  to  draw  your 
attention  to  something  which  is  well  able  to  support  von  Behring's 
theory,  namely,  the  frequent  failure  of  Bang's  method  of  sup- 
pressing   tuberculosis.      The    experience    was,    that    when    non- 
reacting  animals  were  strictly  isolated  and  did  not  come  in  con- 
tact with  the  reacting  ones,  some  of  the  former  would  react  after 
the  next  test.     Bang  has  already  demanded  the  isolation  of  the 
calves  from  the  mother  animals  and  their  feeding  with  sterilized 
milk.     There   are  but  two   explanations   for   the   recurrence   of 
tuberculosis  in  herds  where  strict  isolation  is  practiced  and  sani- 
tary precautions  are  taken.     Either  the  disease  has  been  latent  in 
the  single  animals  and  developed  gradually,  or  in  spite  of  isola- 
tion new  infection  has  taken  place.     If  the  latter  was  the  case, 
then  all  animals  and  human  beings  ought  to  be  affected.     But 
since  this  is  not  so,  we  are  compelled  to  doubt  this  theory.     In 
man  we  find  a  similar  occurrence  that  speaks  for  latent  tuber- 
culosis.   As  already  mentioned,  deaths  from  tuberculosis  are  very 
rare   during  infancy;   they  increase   gradually   and   reach   their 
highest  percentages  in  the  period  of  puberty.     Why  the  danger 
of  infection  should  be  greater  in  this  period,  cannot  be  explained. 
As  you  see,  there  are  still  a  number  of  dark  points  in  the 
doctrine  of  tuberculosis  upon  which  light  may  be  thrown  some 
day.     Let  us  hope  that  all  these  problems  will  be  solved  at  some 
future  time  for  the  benefit  of  humanity.     Let  it  now  be  our  first 
duty  to  test  Prof,  von  Behring's  method  in  practice.     Should  I 
have  been  successful  in  impressing  upon  your  minds  the  import- 
ance of  aiding  us  in  this  work,  then  the  purpose  of  this  lecture 
has  been  attained. —  (Extract  from  Berliner  Tierarztliche  Wochen- 
schrift,  ipoj,  No.  48.) 


11 


C.   BISCHOFF  &  CO. 


88  Park  Place, 


Sole  Agents  for 


New  York 


BEHRINGWERK 

Professor  E.  von  Behring  Dr.  C.  Siebert 

The  Celebrated  Marburg  Institute  for  Research  against  Infectious  Diseases. 


12 


EXTRACT  FROM  A  LECTURE 

ON 

Extermination  of  Tuberculosis 


PRESERVATION    OF    MILK  AND 
RAISING  OF  CALVES 


BY 

PROF.     E.  von  BEHRING 

(Marburg) 

(Delivered  March  16th,  1904atthe 
Agricultural  Exhibition  at  Bonn) 


N  3 


PRESUME  it  is  generally  known  that  I  have  suc- 
ceeded in  discovering  means  by  which  we  are  able  to 
immunize  cattle  and  protect  them  against  tuberculosis, 
just  as  human  beings  are  guarded  against  smallpox  by  vaccination. 

My  prevention  against  tuberculosis,  as  well  as  Jenner's  pre- 
ventative against  smallpox  consists  of  live  bacilli. 

Please  do  not  entertain  the  erroneous  opinion  that  my  im- 
munizing substance  has  the  same  effect,  as  tuberculin ;  tuberculin 
is  of  value  for  the  diagnosis  of  tuberculosis  in  cattle,  while  my 
immunizing  substance  is  a  preventative  for  tuberculosis  in  cattle. 

I  have  been  greatly  assisted  in  my  endeavors  to  suppress 
tuberculosis  by  agriculturists  in  general  among  others,  especially 
by  Count  Zedlitz.  It  was  he,  who  practically  cleared  the  road 
for  me  in  Hesse-Nassau,  and  enabled  me  to  practice  my  method. 
The  statistics  of  my  tests  reveal  a  very  remarkable  fact,  namely, 
that  in  large  stables,  holding  40  to  50  heads  of  cattle,  most  of  the 
animals  reacted  to  the  test,  whilst  in  stables  with  2  to  4  animals 
3  to  4%  were  infected,  and  I  found  that  this  condition  prevailed 
everywhere. 

The  first  practical  applications  of  my  method  were  made  in 
three  counties  in  Hesse-Nassau  and  in  this  step  Count  Zedlitz 
has  aided  me  very  much.  Later  on,  estate  owners  in  Hessia, 
South  Germany,  Mecklenburg,  Hungary,  Bohemia,  Silesia,  gladly 
had  their  lierds  immunized  and  even  had  control  tables  issued  of 
each  immunized  animal. 


Practical  experiments  with  my  preventative  were  made  also 
at  the  Htmgarian  estates  of  Prince  Ludwig,  of  Bavaria.  Count 
Schwerin  Cohren,  Count  Wolfshagen,  as  well  as  Mr.  Shelings  in 
Mecklenburg,  Messrs.  Bolle,  father  and  son,  Mr.  von  Walchern 
and  Mr.  Rosier  in  Teschen,  etc.,  etc. 

The  stability  of  our  immunizing  substance  is  such  that  we  are 
enabled  to  send  it,  even  to  very  far  countries,  without  fear  of 
deterioration.  Dr.  Lorenz,  the  celebrated  veterinarian,  in  his 
paper  on  my  immunizing  substance  states :  "After  all  that  I  have 
seen  so  far,  I  am  sure  that  here  we  have  a  method  which  insures 
success.  This  method  is  of  immense  value  and  surpasses  all  others 
as  to  cheapness  and  easiness  of  application.  It  will  supersede  all 
previously  proposed  methods  and  render  them  absolutely  super- 
fluous." 

This  immunizing  method  became  a  law  in  Hessia,  Oldenburg, 
Mecklenburg  and  the  Kingdom  of  Saxony. 

It  is  needless  to  mention  that  the  successful  suppression  of 
cattle  tuberculosis  is  of  vast  importance  in  the  breeding  of  cattle. 
It  would  release  agriculturists  from  a  burden  which  has  hitherto 
rested  heavily  upon  them.  In  the  German  Empire  the  loss 
amounts  to  millions  yearly. 

We  must  also  take  in  consideration  and  calculate  the  loss  in 
the  production  of  milk,  insufficient  assimilation  of  food,  and  the 
lower  percentage  of  nutrient  substance  contained  in  this  milk, 
and  last,  but  not  least  I  would  mention  the  threatening  of  wasting 
diseases  and  death  to  humanity. 

You  are  aware  that  milk  of  tuberculous  cattle  contains  tubercle 
bacilli ;  if  this  milk  is  fed  to  calves,  they  certainly  will  be  infected. 


and  while  the  animals  may  have  a  healthy  appearance  to  the  end 
of  their  lives — if  you  make  the  tubercuHn  test  on  animals,  about 
3  years  old,  of  such  a  herd,  you  will  hardly  find  one  among  them, 
that  does  not  react.  Many  of  the  older  animals  begin  to  cough, 
develop  tuberculosis  of  the  udder,  of  the  kidneys,  of  the  genital 
organs,  etc.,  etc. 

The  animals  with,  so-called,  open  tuberculosis  are  the  principal 
cause  of  spreading  the  disease  since  they  distribute  the  germs  all 
over  the  stable.  We  can  diminish  the  danger  of  infection  of 
newly-born  calves  to  a  certain  extent,  but  we  cannot  abolish  it, 
as  the  virus  of  the  stable  is  liable  to  be  sucked  up  by  the  calf 
and  other  possibilities  of  infection  exist  in  tubercular  stables. 
I  merely  wish  to  remind  you  of  the  fact  that  the  virus  af  animals 
with  open  tuberculosis  may  find  its  way  into  the  food,  germs  may 
also  be  transferred  from  one  animal  to  the  other  through  the  air, 
if,  for  instance,  two  animals,  of  which  one  is  coughing,  stand 
facing  each  other.  But  I  consider  that  the  greatest  danger  of 
infection  is  in  the  feeding  of  tubercular  milk  to  calves  in  the 
earlier  stages  of  life.  Young  calves,  infected  in  this  manner, 
later  on  develop  the  disease  in  consequence  of  the  germs  con- 
tained in  the  air  they  inhale. 

We  know  from  experience  that  if  sterilized  milk  is  fed  to  the 
calves,  it  is  apt  to  produce  diarrhoea  and  thus  favor  the  occurrences 
of  infectious  processes,  and  that  it  is  anything  but  a  preventative 
in  dysentery  in  calves. 

A  common-sense  hygiene  is  exercised  regarding  our  drinking 
water,  from  its  place  of  origin,  to  that  of  its  consumption,  and 
should  the  slightest  possibility  of  infection  arise,  the  water  supply 

5 


would  be  at  once  cvit  off.  Should  not  the  same  precaution  be  taken 
in  regard  to  the  milk  ?  I  am  about  to  remove  the  danger  of  infec- 
tion from  tubercular  milk  through  introduction  of  cattle  immuni- 
zation. 

The  simplest,  most  natural  and  cheapest  substitute  for  mother- 
milk  will  always  be  fresh  and  sweet  cow's  milk,  but  we  must 
insist  upon  one  demand — namely  that  the  fresh  milk  is  free  from 
tubercle  bacilli,  or  other  generators  of  disease.  This  demand 
can  be  satisfied  by  dairies  with  stables  free  from  tuberculosis. 

The  following  citations  from  communications  concerning  my 
immunizing  method  to  prevent  tuberculosis  are  of  interest: 

1.  "Calves  which  had  been  inoculated  in  Spring,  1903,  an 
autopsy  of  five  animals  showed  them  entirely  free  from  tubercu- 
losis, while  prior  to  the  introduction  of  the  method  tubercular 
changes  had  invariably  been  noticed  upon  investigation  of  the 
slaughtered  calves.  All  immunized  calves  enjoy  the  best  of 
health." 

2.  The  following  from  Count  Schwerin — Wolfshagen,  dated 
February  7th,  this  year :  "A  year  has  now  elapsed  since  the  first 
animals  were  immunized.  We  carefully  examined  all  animals 
here  and  in  Schlepkow,  and  I  am  very  pleased  to  state  that  all 
animals  enjoy  the  best  of  health.  I  must  here  express  to 
you  and  Mr.  Ebeling  my  sincere  thanks,  as  you  saved  this 
stock  from  sure  death.  The  immunized  yearlings  here  and 
in  Schlepkow  have  a  much  better  appearance  than  the  stock 
in  Hornshagen,  which  have  not  been  immunized.  I  have  not 
heard  the  animals  cough  during  the  whole  year,  and  all  immunized 
animals   are   neither  tuberculous   nor   do   they   possess  any  pre- 

6 


disposition  toward  tuberculosis.     I  am  now  having  the  stock  in 
Hornshagen  immunized  by  Mr.  Ebeling." 

3.  "The  feeding  experiments  with  milk  from  immunized 
cows  are  already  being  made.  Last  week  a  half-year-old  heifer 
had  to  be  killed,  because  of  a  broken  leg.  Very  thorough  micro- 
scopic examination  revealed  neither  tubercular  changes,  nor 
tubercle  bacilli,  although  the  animal  had  been  kept  with  a  highly 
infected  herd." 


C.   BISCHOFF  &  CO. 

88  Park  Place,  New  York 

Sole  Agents  for 

BEHRINGWERK 

Professor  E.  von  Behring  Dr.  C.  Siebert 

The  Celebrated  Marburg  Institute  for  Research  against  Infectious  Diseases. 


